Equine Photography Business: Why Customer Service Wins

Why Customer Service Matters for Your Equine Photography Business

Customer service isn’t fluff—it’s the backbone of your business. Don’t believe me? Let’s look at the numbers:

• 82% of customers leave companies after a bad experience (RightNow). Translation: Mess up once, and poof—they’re gone.
• 64% of consumers value experience over price (Gartner). Translation: People will pay more for a better vibe.
• A 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by 25–95% (Harvard Business Review). Translation: Keeping current clients happy equals $$$.

Imagine this: You’ve worked hard to attract clients, only to lose them because of lackluster communication or a less-than-stellar session experience. The audacity of that nonsense, right?

The Cost of Bad Customer Service

Bad customer service doesn’t just bruise egos—it hurts your bottom line. Here’s what happens when customer service falls flat:

• It takes 12 positive experiences to make up for 1 bad one (Business Insider). Yikes.
• 13% of unhappy clients will tell 15 or more people about their bad experience (ThinkJar). And with social media, that one-star review spreads faster than a rumor in a barn.
• Businesses lose $62 billion annually due to poor customer service (New Voice Media).

Now imagine trying to build a sustainable business with that kind of negativity floating around. Hard pass.

How Customer Service Ties Into Equine Photography

Customer service isn’t just smiling at clients or responding to emails on time. It’s about creating a seamless, cohesive experience from start to finish.

Think about how your clients interact with your business:

• Does your website reflect your brand?
• Are your emails consistent in tone and professionalism?
• Do your social media posts sound like you, and are you responding to comments in a timely manner?
• When clients meet you in person, does your demeanor match the friendly, professional vibe you’ve worked so hard to cultivate?

Every touchpoint matters. If your client feels valued and understood, they’re more likely to become repeat customers—and we’ve already covered how valuable that is.

Breaking Down Your Customer Service Process

No matter how you slice it, running an equine photography business – at least the part where you are out there taking all the pretty pictures – can be a seasonal endeavor. But that can be a good thing! Use your downtime to audit and refine your customer service process:

1. Map Out the Journey: How do clients first connect with you? Is it through email, social media, or word of mouth?
2. Evaluate Consistency: Does your messaging across platforms match your brand’s voice?
3. Pinpoint Weaknesses: Are there areas where clients might feel ignored or undervalued? Fix them.
4. Enhance Personal Touches: Adding thoughtful details, like a follow-up email or a thank-you card, can set you apart from competitors.

Don’t just guess—write it out, sketch a flowchart, or do whatever helps you visualize the client journey. Small tweaks can lead to big changes.

Customer Service in Action: How to Stand Out

Want to set yourself apart? Focus on the extras.

Go beyond the basics of responding to inquiries or delivering beautiful images. Here’s how:

• Be Proactive: Anticipate questions and concerns before they arise. For example, provide a prep guide for sessions.
• Exceed Expectations: A little surprise—like a sneak peek of their images—can leave a lasting impression.
• Build Relationships: Take time to understand your clients’ unique needs. Whether they’re a barrel racer, a dressage enthusiast, or just someone who loves hanging out in the pasture with their favorite horse, show that you get their world.

Final Thoughts: Customer Service Is Your Secret Weapon

Great customer service in your equine photography business doesn’t just keep clients happy; it builds loyalty, encourages referrals, and justifies premium pricing. By refining your process, you can create an experience that leaves clients raving about your business—and coming back for more.

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Betsy Bird, Cr. Photog., CPP,  of Ride the Sky Equine Photography spends her days doing insane things to make animals look at her. Clearly, she’s desperate for attention. Outside of acting like a total goofball, she invests in growing her business, mentoring photographers, dealing with her teenagers' angst, and hanging with Nitro, the best dog ever. She also tries to spend some time educating and entertaining aspiring photographers by teaching and blogging about whatever catches her fancy at the moment.

Betsy has earned her Photographic Craftsman degree from the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) which honors photographers who contribute to the photographic industry through speaking, mentoring, and publishing. Betsy is also a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) with PPA. The CPP designation is held by fewer than 2,500 photographers nationwide and is a hallmark of consistency, technical skill, artistry, and professionalism.

Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Professional Photographers of East Tennessee (PPETN) and the Tennessee Professional Photographers Association (TNPPA). She is also a professional member of the Equine Photographers Network (EPN).

Betsy's award-winning work has been featured in a variety of publications and is found throughout homes and stables in the United States. She is also the co-author of the book, Equine & Equestrian Photography Poses that Sell: The Ultimate Guide to Posing Horses & Humans. She has also been featured on Scenic Trend, the Profitable Photographer Podcast, The Business Animal Podcast, Chatter Magazine, Cowgirls with Cameras Podcast, the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the Chattanoogan, and the Focal Points Podcast to name a few.